Commune staff get up to 60 pct pay rise

Cambodia’s local authorities will receive a pay bump of up to 60 per cent starting this month, the government revealed yesterday.

A commune chief will now get 400,000 riel (about $100) per month, up from 300,000 riel ($75); first and second deputy commune chiefs will get 350,000 riel ($87.50), up from 240,000 ($62.50); commune councillors will get 300,000 riel ($75), up from 200,000 ($50).

Village chiefs will now earn 160,000 riel ($40), a 60 per cent increase from their former salary of 100,000 riel ($25) after the increases, included in a sub-decree signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on December 31.

Ly Lin, deputy chief of Samrong Thom commune in Kandal province’s Kien Svay district and a member of the Cambodian National Rescue Party who will now receive 350,000 riel per month ($87.50), said the goverment should increase his pay to 1 million riel ($250).

“How can I survive with this salary? I can’t. I have to make a small business for a living, so I don’t think it’s enough for an efficient public service provider,” he said.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers yesterday also approved a draft National Program on Public Administration Reform 2015-2018 that is intended to improve the performance of public services.

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said measures would include implementing a complaints mechanism, lifting pay rates, developing a schedule of fees for government services and increasing transparency.

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